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VIVA EXCON is a Visayas-wide biennale which was started by the art group Black Artist in Asia in 1990 in Bacolod City and whose hosting has since then toured the Visayan Islands every two years.

VIVA Excon is an artist run and organized biennial, founded by the Black Artists of Asia (a collective formed in the 70’s of seminal Filipino contemporary artists).

Designed as both an exhibition and a conference, the exhibition component of VIVA EXCON I, was meant not only to “showcase contemporary works of visual arts from the different islands but also to promote visual art forms reflective of the islands’ cultural influences, historical traditions and current social situations aside from encouraging innovative, experimental or collaborative works among Visayan visual artists” (VIVA EXCON Folio, 1990).

On the other hand the conference component was meant to provide “a mechanics for the discussion and assessment of parallel artistic development in the islands, give an opportunity for analyses of academic theories and other relevant issues and serve as the context for a better understanding of various aspects of contemporary art practices.” It was likewise meant to provide a “historical perspective on the various art and craft traditions of the islands and generate resolutions” (VIVA EXCON Folio, 1990).

Up to today the organizers integrate the components exhibition and conference in the biennale.

It continues to be the main goal of VIVA ExCon to celebrate Visayan art by bridging the islands of the Visayas so as to provide a venue to facilitate dialogues, interaction, networking and cultural exchanges, thus addressing fundamental and relevant issues among visual art communities and related stakeholders.